Octopus Overlords

Remus West wrote:If I do make it down for Octocon I'd certainly like to give this a go. Your work looks great and the game sounds like a lot of fun.

I'll save a gang for you. By the time that OctoCon rolls around I should have Cowboys, Lawmen, Desperados, and Pinkertons ready. Plus I can do Outlaws and Renegades (as Tong) in a pinch.

I ask you, why am I going to work today when I have two buildings that need to be finished, and a gang of desperadoes and a gang of lawmen that need painting?

I assume the work provides you with funds to keep a roof over your workspace and you rolling fat in brushes and paints.

Don't throw logic at me, dammit! I want to build!!!

Well, you could build as your work. I understand people get paid for putting up shelter that other folks then live in.

Forget that, be a Desperado. They just move along when their outhouse backs up and makes a mess of their watering hole.

Finished a new building:



And starting work on weathering a shingle roof:

Finished shingled roof.

Looks great. I like how the roof turned out. The signs are also great.

So last night I decided to finish the project I've had in an unfinished state the longest. A set of safety deposit boxes. Here's the finished product.



Now it doesn't look like much, but this project probably took me over 2 hours to complete. Each drawer WORKS. Each one consists of six separate TINY parts that are way too small for my giant fingers.



I've been sitting on this project for about 4 months. When I first got it it took me 10 minutes to finish one drawer, so I decided I had way better things to do with my time. But last night I felt the urge to work on something and this was the only project that wasn't the Sassy Gal.

There is no real reason for those drawers to work. It's completely ridiculous.

Although...hmm. *scenario ideas start running through my mind*

Crazy. My wife would love that card catalog.

hentzau wrote: There is no real reason for those drawers to work. It's completely ridiculous.

Completely impressive, you mean. Great work!

hentzau wrote:Although...hmm. *scenario ideas start running through my mind*

Of course it's a heist scenario and the bad guys have two options for finding the loot. Either they visit locations around town and uncover randomly placed clue tokens (rumors) that reveal exactly which box holds the cash is or go straight to the bank and start working on all the boxes. Once they fight their way into the bank vault and reach the safety deposit box there's a timer (3 rounds if you have the clue, 6 rounds without) before it's open and then they have to escape.

The first scenario runs the risk of drawing attention followed by low-level fighting. The second option is a bit more defensible for the robbers but the sheriff will be able to set up a stronger attack and defending force while the robbers are immobilized and stuck working hard on all the boxes.

Also, that's some impressive work.

So one of the central conceits of Dead Man's Hand is that each "Act" or game session has three "Scenes" that progress in scale. (If you're interested in seeing how one is built they have a sample one here.)

So my thought was to do one called "The Sons of Katherine Younger". Four cowboy brothers come home for their mother's funeral to find that somehow their family ranch is now in the hands of one of their family rivals from way back. Investigation reveals that there may have been some irregularities around how the properly was obtained by the Slocum Cattle Company. So the Younger boys decide to get to the bottom of what happened.

Scene 1 would take place in or near one of the saloons in town. Two of the Younger brothers against 3 of the cattle company "dudes" to try and get some information from them. Goal of the younger brothers would be to take down 2 of the 3 dudes and capture the third to get information from them.

Scene 2 would be in the bank. Information has revealed that the deed for the transfer of land is in a safe in the office of the Slocum Livery Stable. Only Jed Slocum, the family patriarch, knows the combination to the safe, but a copy of that combination is in one of the safety deposit boxes in the bank. So the Younger boys (all 4 of them) must break into the bank and search through the boxes to find the combination. I would allow a figure that is next to the boxes to open one box per action spent there. I would actually have a piece of paper with the combination in one of the boxes.

Scene 3 would be the big confrontation at the livery stable. All of the Youngers, plus several hired hands going up against the full might of the Slocums to get to that safe and retrieve that deed.

Needs a lot of work, like point totals for each scene, and rewards/penalties for winning/losing. But it's very young yet.

You know, I thought those safety deposit boxes were a bitch. Then I let the bank into my life. She slept with my best friend, changed the passwords on all of my accounts, stole my car, and ate the last of my Oreos.

hentzau wrote:You know, I thought those safety deposit boxes were a bitch. Then I let the bank into my life. She slept with my best friend, changed the passwords on all of my accounts, stole my car, and ate the last of my Oreos.

Teggy wrote:

hentzau wrote:Finished up my Sheriff's Office today.




Interior showing the jail cells



The windows are made so you can bust the bad guys out of jail.

Where's the prisoner?

Teggy, I just got this joke.

Who says I'm slow?

Here you go, Remus. A taste of the details on the bank:


That's the trim on the bank windows. I have 3 more windows to trim, then I have to finish the sub-base, and then the boardwalks. And then. Assemble 8 windows. I HATE assembling their windows!

You do realize that this game is becoming half the reason I want to make Octocon this spring. Not even really to play but just to check out the props and see the atmosphere they create.

Click this link for the accompanying music to this image of me after hearing that that's the biggest draw for you for going to Octocon.

Whatever. I'll never replace Chaosraven in your heart anyway.

That's only because the bastard is holding members of my family hostage in exchange for my adoration.

p.s. I've been playing that theme from the Hulk tv show on my phone every time I walk (slowly) into my cubicle today. I think people are getting annoyed with me at this point.

Going to try something new with the windows. Window construction consists of two thin window frames that you put a piece of acetate between. Their instructions is to cut the acetate roughly to size and use super glue to attach it to one of the frames. Then you use super glue to attach the other frame, sandwiching the acetate in between the frames. Then trim the excess acetate, and mount the window. The problem with this is that it's really hard to get everything lined up perfectly.

So my new plan is to cut the acetate to the exact size of the windows, and then glue one side of the frame into the window space. Let that dry, then drop in the cut to size acetate sheet into the window hole and then glue in the other frame, trapping the acetate between them.

Going to try this tonight, see if it eases my frustration. It sounds good on paper...we'll see how well it executes.

"Window hole." This is a new thing. I will find ways to use it.

Blackhawk wrote:"Window hole." This is a new thing. I will find ways to use it.

Yeah, I knew it sounded weird when I said it, but that's what it is...the hole that the window goes into.

That worked PERFECTLY. Couldn't be happier.



Took me about 10 minutes to do 3 windows. I'll do the other eight when I get some clear acetate.

Bank is all finished. Now time to paint up some lawmen. (And seeing that first picture, I see I need to fix that top piece of trim...)

Actually put together this cart on a whim this morning. Then on to the lawmen tonight/tomorrow.

I'm going to need to you bring your painting supplies so I can see just what goes into this.
I will be quizzing you over the list though.
So very cool.

Got absolutely no painting done this past week. Stupid real life.

However, on a conference call yesterday the name of the leader of the outlaws just suddenly popped into my head.

"Whiskey" Dick McLaughlin.

The unfortunate part was that I was off mute and laughed out loud. I don't think many folks knew it was me...

hentzau wrote:Got absolutely no painting done this past week. Stupid real life.

However, on a conference call yesterday the name of the leader of the outlaws just suddenly popped into my head.

"Whiskey" Dick McLaughlin.

The unfortunate part was that I was off mute and laughed out loud. I don't think many folks knew it was me...

"Sorry, folks. It was Whisky Dick."

It was a quiet weekend in Zenda. Only thing that happened was the building of a shed.

I think you need to announce that at work, neglecting to inform anyone about the scale of the shed.

Do the shingles come prefab or are you putting in work to make them look so good?

Those shingles are prefab strips from Litko Game Accessories. Laser cut...I would guess birch. Lots of the old school gamers turn up their nose at the idea of paying for such things when you can use cardboard from an old cereal box and cut your own. But time is money, and I'm just a one man construction crew building this here town.

I really need a medicine wagon now. I have a great Foundry figure that is basically Groucho Marx as a Snake Oil Salesman, but I have yet to find a medicine wagon that I really like. There are a couple of Gipsy Wagons that could possibly do the trick, and there are a couple of flat sided cart vans that could possibly be converted, but so far nothing has really inspired me (other than one really great looking scratch built wagon some guy on Lead Adventure Forum did.

I'll probably end up going the scratch building route, like he did, but using an existing wagon base from another kit. But that will have to wait until I get some more basic easy stuff done.

Well folks, looks like religion may be coming to Zenda soon.



Pre-ordered. Supposed to ship March 12th. Hope I can get it built before OctoCon!

If the cellar doors open I expect you to drill a hole in the table so we can have action in the cellar with the outlaws making a run from there, bursting forth Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid style. If the cellar doors do not open I expect you to home rig them to do so then drill the hole in the table........